Apparatus and method for mending knit fabric

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for mending snags and pulls in knit fabrics, particularly knit fabrics used in apparel such as double knit fabric and light weight fabric with a lock stitch such as &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;no run&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; hosiery. The apparatus comprises a reciprocative blade member whose tip traces an arc of relatively large curvature, i.e., a substantially or near linear path. The blade is driven from an electric motor through a pin-slot drive mechanism. The method includes the step of applying the reciprocating blade tip to a piece of snagged fabric that is stretched over a mending cup such that the path traced by the blade tip corresponds to the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;pull thread line&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; formed by the distorted knit stitches until the yarn loop is drawn back into the fabric and the distorted stitches resume their original shape.

[11] 3,834,185 [451 Sept. 10,1974

[ APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MENDING KNIT FABRIC [76] Inventor: Lonnie R. Davenport, 410

Hopkinsville St., Princeton, Ky. 42240 22 Filed: Aug. 20, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 389,439

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 169,702, Aug. 6,

1971, Pat. NO. 3,759,068.

52 U.S. Cl 66/1 R. [51] Int. Cl ..D04b 35/00 [58] Field of Search 66/1 [56] References Cited I I UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,712,743 7/1955 Susemihl 66/1 2,800,778 7/1957 Susemihl 66/1 2,819,598 l/l958 Mayer 66/1 3,196,638 7/1965 Marley 66/1 3,413,822 12/1968 Marley 66/1 3,759,068 9/1973 Daveport 66/1 R Primary Examiner-Ronald Feldbaum Attorney, Agent, or FirmRobert C. Miller [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus and method for mending snags and pulls in knit fabrics, particularly knit fabrics used in apparel such as double knit fabric and light weight fabric with a lock stitch such as no run hosiery. The apparatus comprises a reciprocative blade member whose tip traces an arc of relatively large curvature, i.e., a substantially or near linear path. The blade is driven from an electric motor through a pin-slot drive mechanism. The method includes the step of applying the reciprocating blade tip to a piece of snagged fabric that is stretched over a mending cup such that the path traced by the blade tip corresponds to the pull thread line formed .by the distorted knit stitches until the yarn loop is drawn back into the fabric and the distorted stitches resume their original shape.

16 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MENDING KNIT FABRIC 1 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This application is a Continuation-in-Part of my allowed copending application Ser. No. 169,702 filed on Aug. 6, 1971 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,068 and incorporates by reference the disclosure thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Disclosed is an apparatus and method for mending pulls and snags in knit fabric. More particularly, the apparatus comprises a hand-held mending device characterized by a blade that is driven in a reciprocal and near linear path. A motor rotates an eccentrically mounted pin about the axis of the motor shaft. The pin, in turn, is engaged in a slotted follower provided at the end of one arm of a double-armed working tool so that, as the pin rotates, the blade which constitutes the other arm DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of the mending device of the present invention as the device is being applied to a piece of knit fabric that is stretched over a mending cup.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the drive mechanism of the mending device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the path traced by the blade tip as it pivots in the mender housing.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the apparatus of my invention may best be understood with'reference to the accompanying drawing. The pull thread mender is illustrated in FIG. 1 in the position of use and is indicated generally by the numeral 10. Mender housing 11 may be a generally cylindrical shaped housing and has an end cap 12 with a slot 13 formed therein. A pivotable working tool is provided in the form of a two-armed member, one of the arms being a blade 14 and the other of the arms 14' serving as part of the drive train. Blade 14 extends through slot 13 and has sufficient clearance therewith to permit a reciprocating motion of blade 14 around pivot 15 disposed in housing 11 when it is driven by a motor and the associated drive train located within housing 11.

The blade 14 is disposed at an angle that will allow the blade to be pointing in a generally downward'direction when the mender 10 is in use. The lower most end of blade 14 forms a blade tip 16 and terminates in a blade tip point 17. It is readily apparent from FIG. 1

that blade 14' is of substantially greater length than arm 14' and thus permits the blade tip point 17 to move in an arcuate path of relatively large curvature that approximates a linear, reciprocative path as shown in FIG. 3. I

A suitable drive mechanism for reciprocating blade 14 may be best understood with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing. A motor 18 is mounted in mender housing 11 by means of screws 19 or the like. Motor 18 has a motor shaft 20 protruding from one end thereof, and a cylindrical element 21 is fixedly mounted to the free end of shaft 20 for rotation therewith. I A pin 22 is fixedly and eccentrically mounted near the periphery of cylindrical element 21 and has an axis parallel to the axis of motor shaft 20. A slotted follower 23 is securely fastened tothe end of arm 14' locatedin the mender housing 11 by means of retaining pins 24 or the like. Member 23 isprovided with a slot 25 extending along its full width, as viewed in FIG. 2, which slot extends substantially parallel to the axis of pivot pin 15. Member 23 is so disposed that pin 22 normally engages in slot 25 and remains therein during operation.

Motor 18 is actuated by depressing electrical switch (not shown) with the operators index finger. When the motor is energized, shaft 20 and element 21 will rotate causing eccentrically mounted pin 22 to move in a circular path which in turn will cause arm 14 to'pivot about pin 15 as pin 22 traverses the width of slot 25 in follower 23. By way of illustration, the motor can have a rotational speed of 4,500 revolutions per minute and blade 14 can move through 2,600 strokes per minute.

Blade 14 maybest be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3. Blade 14 is mounted in housing 11 at an angle so that blade 14 points generally in a downwardly direction'when the mending device 10 is being used to mend a piece of fabric. The lowermost end of blade 14 has formed thereon a tip 16 of a thickness somewhat less than blade 14. By way of illustration only, blade tip point 17 may have a stroke of inch. If, for example, the blade 14 has an effective pivot arm of approximately 1% inches resulting in a arm-to-stroke ratio of 4.0 then it can be readily appreciated that the tip point 17 traces an arc of relatively large curvature such that, when seen over the relatively short stroke path 26 (FIG. 3), the tip-point 17 traces a substantially linear path.

The method for using the above-described pull thread mender may best be understood by referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 andpages 17 through 20 of my copending application Ser. No. 169,702, which has been incorporated by reference herein.

I claim: 7

1. Apparatus for mending knit fabric comprising working tool means and driving means operatively connected with said working tool means, said working tool means including contacting means for contacting a snagged piece of knitted fabric in the region of said snag and said driving means including means to move said contacting means, in an arcuate path of relatively large curvature, approximating a substantially linear, reciprocative movement as it contacts the fabric, whereby the approximately linear, reciprocative movement of said contacting means as it contacts said snagged fabric will cause said snag to be drawn back into said fabric.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said working tool means is a pivotable blade member with two pivot arms, one of said pivot arms being of substantially greater length than the other of said pivot arms, and said driving means being operatively connected to the shorterof said two pivot arms.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said contacting means is on the end of the longer of said two pivot arms of said blade member. I

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said contacting means comprises a tip member on said working tool means, said tip member having two curved surfaces and a point formed at the vertex of said two curved surfaces.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said drivingineans includes a motor, and mechancial means connecting said motor 'to said tip member whereby actuation of said motor will drive said tip member insaid arcuate path of relatively large curvature' approximating a substantially linear, reciprocative path. I

6. Apparatus in accordance with'claim S, wherein said working tool means is a pivotable blade member with two pivot arms, one of said pivot arms being'of substantially greater length than the other of said pivot arms, and said mechanical means including slotted follower means at the end of the shorter of said pivot arms andpin means cooperating with said slotted follower means and eccentrically mounted for rotation by said motor. r

7. Apparatus for mending knit fabric comprising a housing, a pivot means disposed in said housing, a blade mounted for pivotal movement about said'pivot means, said blade including a first arm extending beyond said housing and a second arm located in said housing and being of substantially shorter length than said first arm, said first arm having contacting means thereon for contacting the fabric, and driving means operatively associated with the end of said second arm, said driving means including an eccentrically mounted pin means adapted to be rotated and slotted follower means to transfer rotational motion of said pin means to approximately a substantially linear, reciprocative motion of said contacting means as it contacts the fab- I'lC. V

8. Apparatus for mending knit fabric comprising working tool means and driving means operatively connected with said working tool means, said working tool means including contacting means for contacting a snagged piece of knitted fabric in the region of said snag and said driving means including means to move said contacting means, in an arcuate path of relatively large curvature, approximating a substantially linear reciprocative movement that remains in all locations in contact with the fabric whereby the movement of said contacting means as it contacts said snagged fabric will cause said snag to be drawn back into said fabric.

9. A method for mending knit fabric comprising the steps of applying a working tool to a stretched knitfabric in the region of a snag in said fabric, reciprocating said working tool about a pivot point so that the portion of said working tool that contacts said fabric is moving in a path of relatively large curvature forming a substantially linear, reciprocative movement as it contacts the fabric and guiding said moving working tool so that said substantially linear, reciprocative path of said working tool contacts stitches of said fabric that are distorted by said snag.

10. The method of claim'9 including the step of initially stretching the fabric across the open end of a mending cup.

11. The method of claim 9 including the step of controlling the tension of the fabric so that it is correlated with the force applied to the stretched fabric by the workingtool so that the fabric will be depressed slightly from a'stretched, planar configuration yet offer sufficient resistance to the working tool so that the snag may be drawn backinto the fabric structure.

12. The method of claim 9 including the step of applying a wetting agent to the fabric prior to the applica- I ing tothe center of the line formed by said distorted stitches.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein said working tool is applied to one side of a bonded fabric.

16. A method for mending knit fabric comprising the steps of applying a working tool to a stretched knit fabric in the region of a snag in said fabric, moving said working tool so that the portion of said working tool that contacts said fabric is moving in an arcuate path of relatively large curvature forming a substantially linear reciprocative movement, and guiding said moving working tool so that said path of said working tool remainsin all locations in contact with said fabric. 

1. Apparatus for mending knit fabric comprising working tool means and driving means operatively connected with said working tool means, said working tool means including contacting means for contacting a snagged piece of knitted fabric in the region of said snag and said driving means including means to move said contacting means, in an arcuate path of relatively large curvature, approximating a substantially linear, reciprocative movement as it contacts the fabric, whereby the approximately linear, reciprocative movement of said contacting means as it contacts said snagged fabric will cause said snag to be drawn back into said fabric.
 2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said working tool means is a pivotable blade member with two pivot arms, one of said pivot arms being of substantially greater length than the other of said pivot arms, and said driving means being operatively connected to the shorter of said two pivot arms.
 3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein sAid contacting means is on the end of the longer of said two pivot arms of said blade member.
 4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said contacting means comprises a tip member on said working tool means, said tip member having two curved surfaces and a point formed at the vertex of said two curved surfaces.
 5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said driving means includes a motor, and mechancial means connecting said motor to said tip member whereby actuation of said motor will drive said tip member in said arcuate path of relatively large curvature approximating a substantially linear, reciprocative path.
 6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said working tool means is a pivotable blade member with two pivot arms, one of said pivot arms being of substantially greater length than the other of said pivot arms, and said mechanical means including slotted follower means at the end of the shorter of said pivot arms and pin means cooperating with said slotted follower means and eccentrically mounted for rotation by said motor.
 7. Apparatus for mending knit fabric comprising a housing, a pivot means disposed in said housing, a blade mounted for pivotal movement about said pivot means, said blade including a first arm extending beyond said housing and a second arm located in said housing and being of substantially shorter length than said first arm, said first arm having contacting means thereon for contacting the fabric, and driving means operatively associated with the end of said second arm, said driving means including an eccentrically mounted pin means adapted to be rotated and slotted follower means to transfer rotational motion of said pin means to approximately a substantially linear, reciprocative motion of said contacting means as it contacts the fabric.
 8. Apparatus for mending knit fabric comprising working tool means and driving means operatively connected with said working tool means, said working tool means including contacting means for contacting a snagged piece of knitted fabric in the region of said snag and said driving means including means to move said contacting means, in an arcuate path of relatively large curvature, approximating a substantially linear reciprocative movement that remains in all locations in contact with the fabric whereby the movement of said contacting means as it contacts said snagged fabric will cause said snag to be drawn back into said fabric.
 9. A method for mending knit fabric comprising the steps of applying a working tool to a stretched knit fabric in the region of a snag in said fabric, reciprocating said working tool about a pivot point so that the portion of said working tool that contacts said fabric is moving in a path of relatively large curvature forming a substantially linear, reciprocative movement as it contacts the fabric and guiding said moving working tool so that said substantially linear, reciprocative path of said working tool contacts stitches of said fabric that are distorted by said snag.
 10. The method of claim 9 including the step of initially stretching the fabric across the open end of a mending cup.
 11. The method of claim 9 including the step of controlling the tension of the fabric so that it is correlated with the force applied to the stretched fabric by the working tool so that the fabric will be depressed slightly from a stretched, planar configuration yet offer sufficient resistance to the working tool so that the snag may be drawn back into the fabric structure.
 12. The method of claim 9 including the step of applying a wetting agent to the fabric prior to the application of the working tool to the fabric.
 13. The method of claim 9 wherein the working tool is initially applied to the fabric several stitch rows away from the snag and said guiding of said moving working tool is performed so that the path of said working tool approaches and then contacts said distorted stitches.
 14. The method of claim 9 wherein the working tool is Initially applied to the fabric at a region corresponding to the center of the line formed by said distorted stitches.
 15. The method of claim 9 wherein said working tool is applied to one side of a bonded fabric.
 16. A method for mending knit fabric comprising the steps of applying a working tool to a stretched knit fabric in the region of a snag in said fabric, moving said working tool so that the portion of said working tool that contacts said fabric is moving in an arcuate path of relatively large curvature forming a substantially linear reciprocative movement, and guiding said moving working tool so that said path of said working tool remains in all locations in contact with said fabric. 